The government shutdown’s effect on the U.S. air travel system is about to get even more noticeable to air passengers by the end of the week.
The FAA has announced that it will cut flight schedules by 10 percent at 40 major airports across the country as the nation faces short staffing among unpaid air traffic controllers.
The list of airports that will have reduced flights are among the busiest hubs in the U.S., including Chicago O’Hare, Dallas-Forth Worth, Los Angeles, and New York's JFK. Flight reductions will begin on Friday, November 7.
Travelers should keep in mind that if their flight is canceled, they’re entitled to a full cash refund if they do not wish to rebook.
Here’s a look at how U.S. airlines are responding to the flight cuts.
American Airlines
Dallas-based American Airlines said that most passengers’ flights should continue to operate as scheduled.
“We expect the vast majority of our customers’ travel will be unaffected,” the airline said in an emailed statement to travelers. For those fliers who are affected, no action is necessary.
“Any customer whose flight is impacted will be proactively notified by American Airlines,” the carrier said. “We will do our best to notify customers as early as possible.”
The airline apologized to customers for any potential disrupted travel and encouraged passengers to check their flight status on its website or mobile app.
Delta Air Lines
Similarly, Delta noted that it expects to operate “the vast majority of our flights as scheduled, including all long-haul international service.”
However, the Atlanta-based carrier said that it would be offering additional flexibility to passengers flying amid the air traffic reduction plan. Customers with travel plans during that window will be allowed to change or cancel their flights at no charge, even if they booked a basic economy fare.
“We will work to give customers as much notice as possible about any changes to their flights and apologize for any inconvenience these changes may cause,” the airline said.
United Airlines
Chicago-based United Airlines said its long-haul international flying and hub-to-hub domestic routes will not be affected by the schedule reduction. “That's important to maintain the integrity of our network, give impacted customers as many options as possible to resume their trip, and sustain our crew pairing systems,” United CEO Scott Kirby said.
The cuts will instead focus on regional flights and domestic mainline routes that don’t travel between the airline’s hubs. The airline “will continue to make rolling updates to our schedule as the government shutdown continues so we can give our customers several days' advance notice and to minimize disruption,” Kirby noted.
Any United customer flying during this time will be eligible for a full refund if they don’t want to fly, even if their flight is unaffected by the reduction plan. “That includes non-refundable tickets and those customers with basic economy tickets,” according to Kirby.
JetBlue
According to JetBlue’s website, the airline is monitoring the FAA’s planned flight reductions and evaluating the potential effect on its own schedule. However, the New York-based carrier didn’t specify which types of routes might be on the chopping block.
“If your flight is affected, we’ll reach out using the contact information in your reservation,” the airline told passengers. The carrier said that in most cases, it will rebook impacted passengers on the next available flight. Travelers with canceled flights who no longer wish to travel will receive a refund.
Southwest Airlines
Budget carrier Southwest said it would notify any customers affected by the flight reductions via the contact information provided at booking.
“In most cases, we will automatically rebook you on another flight,” the airline said. “You will receive a follow-up message once you’ve been rebooked.”
Travelers can also rebook their flight if their new itinerary doesn’t work for them. Affected fliers who do not wish to travel on their new itinerary should cancel their reservation at least 10 minutes before departure time to avoid triggering the airline’s no-show policy.
The airline apologized to customers for any inconvenience. “We know that these FAA-imposed cancellations can impact an important moment in your life. We appreciate your understanding,” Southwest said.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
